Every religion revolves around some significant story that is integral to their belief system, and during the holiday season, Christians hold the birth of Christ as the promise of redemption, salvation, and everlasting life as important as the resurrection story. The symbol of the silly virgin birth story is the nativity scene, and as popular as it is to Christians, the Annunciation by angels to shepherds tending their flocks is oft-repeated in song and sermon alike with a message most adherents can recite from memory. However, as important as the message, “peace on Earth, goodwill toward men” is to Christ’s life and teachings, it is lost on a large segment of American Christians.

Over the past year, the most vocal Christian fanatics demonstrated that not only do they oppose the idea of peace on Earth; they have, with their legislative arm, the Republican Party, worked tirelessly to portray “goodwill” as a cardinal sin and miscarriage of justice. However, even though there are Christians who embrace the concept of goodwill, their support of politicians who consider goodwill toward Americans anathema to freedom counters their phony portrayal as followers of Christ. In fact, as their lord and savior said, “by their works you will know them,” and he meant that Christians who actively support policies that deprive human beings of food, shelter, healthcare, and wellbeing is not only a hypocrite, but are living a life contrary to his teaching and the notion of goodwill towards mankind.